Today, I'd like to share some of the most embarrassing failures I've had over the course of my life. 😆
Why?
Because this week I've chatted with a lot of creatives regarding job interviews, and many felt disappointed that they didn't make the impression they wanted, stumbled their way through the questions, or forgot to make their most important points when discussing their portfolio.
It happens. And it sucks. But it's not the end of the world.
So, for everyone out there who is feeling (or has felt) this same way, here are some of the lessons I learned from failing:
1. When I was 10 I got to attend Space Camp. I ate way too much “astronaut food” and then I barfed on myself in the centrifuge ride. 🤢 THE LESSON: KNOW YOUR LIMITS.
2. When I was in 6th grade I fainted in front of my entire class during a routine physical exam checkup, which included a finger-jab blood test by the school nurse. I was afraid of needles and never spoke up about it. 😵💫 THE LESSON: USE YOUR VOICE.
3. When I was an in-house Sr. Graphic Designer I sent an email to our VP of Marketing regarding design files she couldn’t open. The last line read: “Here is a different file format. Sorry for the incontinence.” 🤦🏻♀️ LESSON: DOUBLE-CHECK EVERYTHING (especially autocorrect).
4. When I was 35, I was traveling out of state for a 10K race and couldn’t find an open coffeeshop for my pre-race caffeine boost, so I bought caffeine pills instead. Then I spent more time in the porta-potties than I did on the 10K course. 💩 THE LESSON: PLAN AHEAD
5. When I was on my way to work as an Art Director for a small agency in Portland, I tripped out of the door of a city bus and fell right into a parked car. I wasn't hurt, but I was mortified. Oh yeah, and the bus was full of my agency clients. 👀 THE LESSON: GET BACK UP AND JUST KEEP GOING.